With less than a month to go until the NHL trade deadline, one of the more interesting players who might have been dangled out there is off the market.

With the Anaheim Ducks signing of centre Ryan Getzlaf to an eight-year, $66-million deal Friday the interest will now shift to Ducks forward Corey Perry, who becomes an unrestricted free agent in July.

The magnitude of Getzlaf’s deal, which has a cap hit of $8.25 million, is amplified by the fact the cap will drop from about $70 million to about $64 million next season. According to Capgeek.com, the Ducks have about $44.8 million committed to 15 players for next season after Getzlaf’s signing so it’s going to be interesting to see if they can be creative and find a way to get Perry in the house, too.

The Ducks are having a wonderful season which has been overshadowed by the Chicago Blackhawks’ invincible run so it’s hard to see Perry going anywhere.

There are some interesting potential free agents out there as the deadline approaches including forwards Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames, Mike Ribeiro of the Washington Capitals and defenceman Mark Streit of the New York Islanders, but the problem as the trade deadline nears is going to be separating the buyers from the sellers. With teams playing just a 48-game schedule there is not going to be the same kind of separation you would have near the end of an 82-game schedule.

Another possibility is Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang. He’s got one year left on his contract after this season and is due for a big raise from his current deal, which carries a cap hit of $3.5 million. With centre Evgeni Malkin also coming up as a potential UFA after next season, is Penguins general manager Ray Shero going to be able to keep everybody happy?

If or when the Penguins might contemplate moving a guy like Letang, the price tag is expected to be a top six winger, an everyday defenceman and a prospect.

HEAR AND THERE: When blueliner Roman Hamrlik went on waivers this week and before he was picked up by the New York Rangers, there was speculation it could be the end of the line for the top pick in the 1992 draft. That left one to wonder who else is still playing from that draft? Sergei Gonchar (14th overall) is the only other player from that first round still playing and the only other active guy that comes to mind is Adrian Aucoin (117th overall to Vancouver) ... People are waiting for what the fallout will be in Colorado between Avs forwards Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly in the wake of O’Reilly’s holdout, subsequent offer sheet signing and return. Duchene apparently wasn’t enthused with the way O’Reilly handled the whole thing. Hey, business is business and it’s expected the episode will blow over ... Tampa’s Tom Pyatt had 20 goals in four NHL seasons going into Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, so you know he will take them anyway he can get them. His 21st came on a shot that went in off his face, hitting him just below the nose. He got a goal and didn’t lose any of his teeth.

THE BUZZ: With the NHL Players’ Association giving its consent to realignment, there will be happiness in places like Detroit, Columbus and Minnesota which will see those teams grouped with teams in their respective time zones. The Wings, for instance, will play just three road games in their time zone this season. The Wings and Blue Jackets would play 68 games in the Eastern time zone compared to their current 50-53...The new alignment isn’t going to make everybody happy. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers are now going to be in a division with Boston, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit. The trip to the Motor City is going to be the shortest for the Florida teams at about 1,000 miles and the Panthers and Lightning, like the other American teams in the division, will be spending a lot of time going through customs. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman estimates the border crossings can add up to 90 minutes to a trip and over the course of a season that can add up.

JUST WONDERING: When will New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur be back from his back injury? You know how it is with backs. “Sometime in between Thursday and a month,” said Devils coach Peter DeBoer ... Even with a guy like Scott Niedermayer on their blue line for years, it’s surprising to see the Devils have only one hat trick by a defenceman in their history. D Marek Zidlicky had two goals March 4 against Toronto which brought up the topic. Who was the defenceman? Uli Hiemer, who had three against Pittsburgh in 1984.

JUST SAYING: Things you probably didn’t expect to read: Jeff Carter has been the Los Angeles Kings best forward since the start of the season ... The Edmonton Oilers have some great young forwards, but they’re all the same kind of guy, aren’t they? It’ll be interesting as we get to the trade deadline if they try and move one for perhaps a little less talented, but grittier guy for their top six. Or maybe the time to try and change the skill set is the off-season...

THE LAST WORD: Sharks GM Doug Wilson on his team’s struggles lately: “We’ve become a pass-first team in a shoot-first league.”

Ryan Getzlaf signing shifts focus to Corey Perry

With less than a month to go until the NHL trade deadline, one of the more interesting players who might have been dangled out there is off the market.

With the Anaheim Ducks signing of centre Ryan Getzlaf to an eight-year, $66-million deal Friday the interest will now shift to Ducks forward Corey Perry, who becomes an unrestricted free agent in July.

The magnitude of Getzlaf’s deal, which has a cap hit of $8.25 million, is amplified by the fact the cap will drop from about $70 million to about $64 million next season. According to Capgeek.com, the Ducks have about $44.8 million committed to 15 players for next season after Getzlaf’s signing so it’s going to be interesting to see if they can be creative and find a way to get Perry in the house, too.